


The Only Way Out

by AtLeastWeWontBeLonelyInHell



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Angst, F/M, Tragedy, dark themes, dark&twisty, re-post from 2013
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-25
Updated: 2013-05-25
Packaged: 2019-10-11 04:04:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17439602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtLeastWeWontBeLonelyInHell/pseuds/AtLeastWeWontBeLonelyInHell
Summary: When he wakes up the next morning, a broken bottle of Scotch is the only thing left.





	The Only Way Out

**Author's Note:**

> And a BIG special thank you goes to the wonderful clairebare for beta reading!

**The Only Way Out  
**

**.**

**.**

It happens after one of those cases-

_(where everything goes horribly wrong)-_

and too many people end up dead.

It’s not her fault-

_(of course it isn’t)-_

but she blames herself anyhow.

_(A fucking martyr, isn’t she?)_

He finds her around midnight in his attic-

_(sitting on his makeshift bed)-_

with a bottle of Scotch in her hands-

_(and tears running down her pale cheeks)._

_._

She’s going on about her life-

_(something about hating herself)-_

something about mistakes.

(Her words are slurred and he doesn’t even get half of it).

_(Not sure if it really matters anyway)._

He’s not sure how it happens-

_(but the next thing he knows)-_

he’s pushed back against the wall-

_(her lips crushing hard against his)._

She tastes like Scotch-

_(like darkness and pain)-  
_

_(like tears and too much blood)-_

and after a second he just gives in.

(Finally feeling like coming home again).

.

When he wakes up the next morning-

a broken bottle of Scotch is the only thing left.

.

They don’t talk about it-

_(they never talk about the things who really matter)-_

both of them far too afraid of losing the other.

.

It’s a few weeks later-

_(when a bartender calls him in the middle of the night)-_

telling him to come and get his girlfriend.

It takes him a while before he gets the fact that the guy is talking about Lisbon.

When he gets there-

she’s bearly able to walk on her own and he has to carry her to his car.

He takes her home-

_(helping her lay down on the couch)-_

watching her from afar.

_(Making sure she doesn’t choke on her own vomit)._

(He’s gone as soon as she’s sober again).

.

They don’t talk about it-

_(they never do)-_

it’s not like he has a right to tell her anything.

(And he’s just to busy dealing with his own nightmares anyway).

.

When he gets another call in the middle of the night-

_(he’s counting down his suspects)-_

_(again)-_

and he ignores his phone for half an hour before he picks it up.

It’s the hospital-

_(he’s her emergeny contact too)-_

(Who knew?)-

and they tell him to come immediately.

He’s out the door in seconds.

.

When he arrives there they tell him it’s serious-

_(she took far too many pills)-_

before driving her car against a tree.

_(A fucking tree)._

_(He can’t believe it)._

He’s sitting at her side-

_(holding her hand with tears glistening in his eyes)-_

praying for the first time in his life.

.

He’s staying at her side for more than a week before she opens her eyes again-

_(he wants to scream at her)-_

for being so fucking stupid-

_(for almost losing her)-_

but he doesn’t.

_(Maybe there’s just nothing left to say anymore)._

(Or maybe there never was to begin with).

.

He’s sitting at his desk in the attic-

_(just a few months later)-_

only two names left on his list.

_(Just one single name away from his solution)._

(When he hears a gunshot from downstairs).

.

He already knows-

_(long before he steps into the hallway)-_

long before he sees Grace crying at Rigsbys shoulder-

_(screams echoing through the building)-_

and Cho standing in the doorway to _her_ office.

.

There’s blood on the window and all over the wall-

_(her body lying in a puddle of blood on the floor)-_

and her hand still holding the gun.

_(She looks like she’s sleeping)._

(A sad smile on her lips).

.

He finds the note in her left hand-

_(stained with her blood)-_

only one name written on top of it.

**.**

**.**


End file.
